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  • marsh
    marsh
    noun
    a tract of low wet land, often treeless and periodically inundated, generally characterized by a growth of grasses, sedges, cattails, and rushes.
  • Marsh
    Marsh
    noun
    Dame (Edith) Ngaio 1899–1982, New Zealand writer of detective novels.
Synonyms

marsh

1 American  
[mahrsh] / mɑrʃ /

noun

  1. a tract of low wet land, often treeless and periodically inundated, generally characterized by a growth of grasses, sedges, cattails, and rushes.

    Synonyms:
    wetland, marshland, fen, bog, swamp

Marsh 2 American  
[mahrsh] / mɑrʃ /

noun

  1. Dame (Edith) Ngaio 1899–1982, New Zealand writer of detective novels.

  2. Reginald, 1898–1954, U.S. painter and illustrator.


marsh 1 British  
/ mɑːʃ /

noun

  1. low poorly drained land that is sometimes flooded and often lies at the edge of lakes, streams, etc Compare swamp

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Marsh 2 British  
/ mɑːʃ /

noun

  1. Dame ( Edith ) Ngaio (ˈnaɪəʊ). 1899–1981, New Zealand crime writer, living in Britain (from 1928). Her many detective novels include Final Curtain (1947) and Last Ditch (1977)

  2. Rodney ( William ). born 1947, Australian cricketer: a wicketkeeper, he took 355 dismissals in 96 test matches (1970–84)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

marsh Scientific  
/ märsh /
  1. An area of low-lying wetland in which the level of water is generally shallow and often fluctuating. The water may be either standing or slow-moving. The water in a marsh is also more or less neutral or alkaline, in contrast to the water in a bog, which is acidic. The environment of a marsh is in general well-oxygenated and nutrient-rich and allows a great variety of organisms to flourish. In contrast to a swamp, in which there is an abundance of woody plants, the plants in a marsh are mostly herbaceous. Reeds and rushes dominate the vegetation of marshes.

  2. See also salt marsh


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of marsh

before 900; Middle English mershe, Old English mer ( i ) sc (cognate with German Marsch ). See mere 2, -ish 1; cf. marais, marish, morass

Explanation

A marsh is an area in transition from land to water. It is a very bad idea to go walking in a marsh in your best shoes; try some fishing boots, or perhaps a boat. The word marsh comes from the old Dutch word mere, for sea, and it means land that is sea-ish… not sea, but sea-ish, like most of Holland. Marshes can be found often where a river empties into the sea, or along the side of a low, flooded river. Another word for marsh is swamp. If you’re in trouble or just want to be alone, a marsh is a great place to hide: no one will follow you. Just don’t forget your galoshes.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing marsh

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"There was a great pressure to restore the area. I think people worried it would stay a muddy mess but soon vegetation started to appear and it became established as a salt marsh," Hester added.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

In no time, I was in unfamiliar territory: The sun rose over spoonbills and egrets standing in shallow water as a lone kayaker navigated fields of marsh grass.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

Analysing gases in the air flowing around the marsh - over the course of a year - revealed how plants there "breathe in" more carbon dioxide in the summer than they release in winter.

From BBC • May 30, 2025

Other small fossils new to science have also been found at Otago sites this year, including the first dancefly, cranefly, phantom midge and marsh beetle fossils from New Zealand.

From Science Daily • Dec. 2, 2024

I couldn’t believe we’d never seen each other; the marsh was big and wide, but it seemed so unfair that we’d never met before.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

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